Hiring of armed groups for 2022 polls probed

MANILA, Philippines — Police and the military are validating information about candidates supposedly employing private armed groups to influence the results of the upcoming May 9 elections, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said that police and military-focused operations are continuously trying to identify and thwart any violent attempts by private armed groups.

“Right now, we are validating many risk factors that may affect the peaceful conduct of elections. One of these is the possible employment of private armed groups. The PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines are working together to ensure that politicians or candidates, incumbent or not, will not be able to use them,” Fajardo said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

46 possible poll hot spots

The AFP is coordinating with the PNP and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in keeping watch over 46 cities and municipalities considered as possible election hot spots.

AFP spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said seven cities and 39 towns mostly in Mindanao were identified as possible areas of concern because of various threats like the presence of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The Comelec identified these so-called election hot spots for the military and the police to keep watch and monitor, Zagala said.

“I could say that a majority is in Mindanao and a few in Luzon and the Visayas,” he said when asked where these areas are located.

He said there are various threats including private armed groups, but the major concern are the NPA rebels, noting the communists intend to influence the results of the elections.

Meanwhile, the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) police is reviewing the election history in the region to identify possible poll hot spot areas.

“As of today, no towns or provinces in the region can be considered yet as election hot spots or areas of concern. No election-related incidents have been reported so far,” Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra, Calabarzon police director, said yesterday.

Yarra said the campaign period, which started on Feb. 8, has been peaceful and orderly as candidates and their supporters have been observing health protocols.

To be considered as an election hot spot, Yarra said a town or city must have a record of election-related violence and with presence of private armies including the NPA.

Col. Glicerio Consilao, Batangas police director, said it is still too early to identify poll hot spots in his jurisdiction.

“If election-related violence will occur, we will submit a recommendation to the Commission on Elections as soon as we monitor and evaluate the situation,” Consilao said.

He said he ordered police chiefs in Batangas to intensify checkpoint operations and other anti-crime measures.

During the 2019 general elections, 28 towns and cities in Calabarzon were declared poll hot spots.

As this developed, the PNP said that as of yesterday, 1,085 gun ban violators have been arrested since the election period started.

The figure included 1,048 civilians, eight police officers, seven military personnel and 13 security guards. The rest were undetermined.

The PNP said it confiscated 832 firearms, 324 bladed weapons, 58 explosive devices and over 5,000 ammunition.

Metro Manila logged the most number of people arrested for gun ban violation, followed by Central Visayas, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Western Visayas. – Michael Punongbayan, Ed Amoroso